Surah Al-Isra Ayat 42 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 42
Say, [O Muhammad], “If there had been with Him [other] gods, as they say, then they [each] would have sought to the Owner of the Throne a way.”
Say: If there had been (other) gods with Him, as they say,- behold, they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne!
Say, (O Muhammad): “Had there been other gods with Him, as they claim, they would surely have attempted to find a way to the Lord of the Throne.
Say (O Muhammad SAW to these polytheists, pagans, etc.): “If there had been other aliha (gods) along with Him as they assert, then they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne (seeking His Pleasures and to be near to Him).
Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): If there were other gods along with Him, as they say, then had they sought a way against the Lord of the Throne.
Say, “If there had been (other) gods with Him, as they say, lo, indeed they would have constantly sought a way to The Owner of the Throne.”
Say, ‘If there were other gods along with Him, as they say there are, then they would have tried to find a way to the Lord of the Throne.’
کہہ دیجیئے! کہ اگر اللہ کے ساتھ اور معبود بھی ہوتے جیسے کہ یہ لوگ کہتے ہیں تو ضرور وه اب تک مالک عرش کی جانب راه ڈھونڈ نکالتے
Quran 17 Verse 42 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Al-Isra ayat 42, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(17:42) Say, (O Muhammad): “Had there been other gods with Him, as they claim, they would surely have attempted to find a way to the Lord of the Throne.[47]
47. That is, they would have themselves tried their best to become masters of the Throne. This is because if there had been more than one partners in Godhead, it would produce one of the two results: (1) If they were all independent gods, it was not conceivable that they would agree and cooperate with one another in the management of the boundless universe and there could never have been unanimity, uniformity and balanced proportion in its functioning. There would have been conflict at every step and everyone would have tried to dominate others in order to become its sole master. or (2) if one of them had been the supreme god and the others his obedient servants whom he had delegated some of his powers, then, according to the maxim “power corrupts”, they would never have been content with remaining obedient servants of the supreme god and would have conspired to become the supreme god themselves.
Whereas the fact is that in this universe not even a grain of wheat or a blade of grass can grow unless and until everything in the earth and the heavens cooperate with one another for its production. Therefore, only an utterly ignorant and block headed person can conceive that there are more than one independent or semi independent rulers, who carry on the management of this universe. Anyone who has tried to understand the nature and functioning of the universe will most surely arrive at the conclusion that there is One and only One Sovereign ruling over this universe, and there is absolutely no likelihood of anyone else to be a partner in this at any stage.
Ibn-Kathir
42. Say: “If there had been other gods along with Him as they assert, then they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord of the Throne. 43. Glorified and Exalted is He high above what they say!) Allah says: `Say, O Muhammad, to these idolators who claim that Allah has a partner among His creation, and who worship others besides Him that they may bring them nearer to Him: if the matter is as you say, and there is another god besides Him whom you worship in order to draw closer to Him and so that he will intercede for you with Him, then those whom you worship would themselves worship Him and seek means to draw closer to Him. So worship Him alone, just as those on whom you call besides Him worship Him. You have no need of a deity to be an intermediary between you and Him, for He does not like or accept that, rather He hates it and rejects it, and has forbidden that through all of His Messengers and Prophets.’ Then He glorifies and sanctifies Himself far above all that, and says:
(Glorified and Exalted is He high above what they say!) meaning these idolators who transgress and do wrong when they claim that there are other gods besides Him.
(high above) means, far above. He is Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need. He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable or coequal unto Him.
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